VALE IAN MILLER: CHAMPION CLUBMAN
The death of former champion Perth Football Club player and league coach, Ian Miller, aged 76, has severed the link in one of the Demons’ most enduring father-son contributions.
Ian, and his late father Bob, also a former coach who enjoyed a stellar playing career with the Club, have been the Legends for 2026. And Ian was warmly welcomed at several home game President’s Lunches during the season.
But he had been affected by indifferent health in the past 12 months which greatly restricted his public activities.
Ian, who was popularly known as “Serge”, first came under notice as a player of great potential with the Collier Junior Football Club. He was fast tracked on arrival at Lathlain Park and league captain-coach Mal Atwell “blooded” him in the key centre half forward position in the 1968 premiership side. Ian didn’t disappoint, kicking three goals in the 24-point victory over East Perth, completing a hat-trick of flags.
It was at centre half forward in 1972 that he became the first player in that position to win the Sandover Medal. He also gained All-Australian selection. Ian played 132 games for the club and kicked 135 goals in a seven-year career, and represented WA 15 times between 1969 and 1973.
Ian joined the Fitzroy Football Club (the forerunner of the Brisbane Lions) in 1974, playing 80 games before returning to WA in 1978, and joining East Perth. He won the Simpson Medal as best afield in the Royals’ stirring two-point win over the Demons in atrocious conditions at Subiaco Oval.
Ian returned to his roots at Lathlain Park in 1982, emulating his father as league coach. All up, Ian played 276 league games for Perth, East Perth and Fitzroy, before retiring to take up a long term role as player services coordinator with the West Coast Eagles. The role included finding satisfactory accommodation for scores of interstate and country recruits.
He was selected in the Perth’s Team of the Century in 1999, elevated to the WA Football Hall of Fame and club Life Membership in 2008 and Perth’s Hall of Fame in 2015. He was inducted into the AFL’s Hall of Fame in 2021
Ian’s Father, Bob Miller, played 173 games, coached the league side in 1960-61 and was a State representative 1948-50. In addition, his wife Dolly was a driving force on the club’s social committee.
Demons stalwart Allan “Chubby” Stiles, said Ian was very community minded. “I can’t speak more highly of him, both as a person and a footballer,” Chubby said. “He was one of the crew who slotted in where needed and who never sought the limelight, He was always constructive.”
Demons president Adrian Barich said he also had a good reason to be grateful for Ian’s contribution, especially to the Eagles.
Adrian added: “And he didn’t just look after footballers. He looked after people. I know that because I was one of the young men he helped.”
“Serge and his great mate ‘Chubby’ recruited me from Canberra and gave me an opportunity that changed my life. I will forever be grateful for that. But that’s the thing about Serge. There were hundreds of young men who could say something similar.”
“He had an extraordinary ability to make people feel that they mattered. He helped Ben Cousins through some of the darkest moments and he went above and beyond to help young men become better versions of themselves. He wasn’t interested in headlines. He was interested in people.”
PETER KENNEDY
Ian, and his late father Bob, also a former coach who enjoyed a stellar playing career with the Club, have been the Legends for 2026. And Ian was warmly welcomed at several home game President’s Lunches during the season.
But he had been affected by indifferent health in the past 12 months which greatly restricted his public activities.
Ian, who was popularly known as “Serge”, first came under notice as a player of great potential with the Collier Junior Football Club. He was fast tracked on arrival at Lathlain Park and league captain-coach Mal Atwell “blooded” him in the key centre half forward position in the 1968 premiership side. Ian didn’t disappoint, kicking three goals in the 24-point victory over East Perth, completing a hat-trick of flags.
It was at centre half forward in 1972 that he became the first player in that position to win the Sandover Medal. He also gained All-Australian selection. Ian played 132 games for the club and kicked 135 goals in a seven-year career, and represented WA 15 times between 1969 and 1973.
Ian joined the Fitzroy Football Club (the forerunner of the Brisbane Lions) in 1974, playing 80 games before returning to WA in 1978, and joining East Perth. He won the Simpson Medal as best afield in the Royals’ stirring two-point win over the Demons in atrocious conditions at Subiaco Oval.
Ian returned to his roots at Lathlain Park in 1982, emulating his father as league coach. All up, Ian played 276 league games for Perth, East Perth and Fitzroy, before retiring to take up a long term role as player services coordinator with the West Coast Eagles. The role included finding satisfactory accommodation for scores of interstate and country recruits.
He was selected in the Perth’s Team of the Century in 1999, elevated to the WA Football Hall of Fame and club Life Membership in 2008 and Perth’s Hall of Fame in 2015. He was inducted into the AFL’s Hall of Fame in 2021
Ian’s Father, Bob Miller, played 173 games, coached the league side in 1960-61 and was a State representative 1948-50. In addition, his wife Dolly was a driving force on the club’s social committee.
Demons stalwart Allan “Chubby” Stiles, said Ian was very community minded. “I can’t speak more highly of him, both as a person and a footballer,” Chubby said. “He was one of the crew who slotted in where needed and who never sought the limelight, He was always constructive.”
Demons president Adrian Barich said he also had a good reason to be grateful for Ian’s contribution, especially to the Eagles.
Adrian added: “And he didn’t just look after footballers. He looked after people. I know that because I was one of the young men he helped.”
“Serge and his great mate ‘Chubby’ recruited me from Canberra and gave me an opportunity that changed my life. I will forever be grateful for that. But that’s the thing about Serge. There were hundreds of young men who could say something similar.”
“He had an extraordinary ability to make people feel that they mattered. He helped Ben Cousins through some of the darkest moments and he went above and beyond to help young men become better versions of themselves. He wasn’t interested in headlines. He was interested in people.”
PETER KENNEDY